Regional News

NEW REGIONAL WEBSITE
The website of Neath-Swansea Ospreys can be found at:
www.ospreysrugby.com

FANS FORUM - REVOLUTION, WIND STREET, SWANSEA, 31ST JULY - 7PM-10PM.
There is an opportunity which will allow you to get up close and personal with the players at a special supporters launch party on Thursday 31 July, 7pm-10pm at Swansea’s top Vodka Bar – Revolution! There will be a chance to meet the players and coaching staff with an aim to put forward your questions. Please bring this letter with you as your invitation for entry at the night

Ospreys fly!
'The Ospreys' has today been confirmed as the name for the new Neath-Swansea rugby region. The team will play in a predominantly black jersey with a logo of a hunting Osprey on a Maltese Cross background.

The new region's training base is Llandarcy and administration offices are nearby in William Knox House. The squad, which is captained by Wales and British Lions player Scott Gibbs, will utilise the proposed new Llandarcy Park training centre when it is built.

Head Coach Lyn Jones said there is an exciting season ahead. He said: "This is a historic day and we are all excited not only for the forthcoming season but also for the future of the game in Wales. We aim to play a leading role both on and off the field in the restructuring process in Welsh rugby. In my mind, this really is the first year of professional rugby in Wales. We want to draw a line under all the past negativity and move forward in a very positive manner.

"The Osprey is a magnificent bird of prey and a predator - an ideal emblem for a forward thinking rugby team. It succeeds by a combination of style, skill and aggression - which reflects the way we want to play rugby. It is an all-encompassing emblem which will allow everyone in the region to feel part of the new entity."

Among other announcements are Sean Holley as Assistant Coach, Huw Bevan as Conditioning Coach and Peter Hall as Performance Analyst.

A players Academy is being developed as part of the new structure to develop young playing talent, which will feed into the region. Former Wales hooker Garin Jenkins has been appointed Academy Director and will work with all the clubs in the region along with Community Development Manager John Schropfer and Senior Development officer Dai Arthur.

Lyn Jones added: "A large percentage of our squad are players from within the region which is something we are very proud of. We are putting a big emphasis on blending youth with experience. We want to improve the number of players representing Wales from this region."

MIKE CUDDY – JOINT CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Today’s launch is one step in a long journey that’s ahead of us all in Welsh rugby – a journey that has already started.

The 2 clubs – Neath and Swansea – were charged by the Welsh Rugby Union to set up as a regional team as part of a regional structure which incorporates and encompasses ALL clubs within the region.

Over the coming months, we will be seeing and speaking to every club within our region – not to preach to them, but to involve them and work with each other for the good of the game in Wales.

It is vitally important that everyone realises that they can play a part in this exciting venture. It therefore gives me great pride and pleasure to confirm that the new name of the team which represents this great region will be…….. NEATH – SWANSEA OSPREYS

It is our intention to call ourselves and market ourselves as ‘The Ospreys’ to fully represent the region and allow all stakeholders involved to be included and to get behind it.

Our website will be……… www.ospreysrugby.com

Full fixture lists now available

SEASON TICKET NEWS

N.B. Season Tickets will include League + Friendlies + Development fixtures.

Wales A scrum half Andy Williams signs for the Neath-Swansea province The Neath-Swansea province have signed 22 year old, 5ft 11in, 13st, scrum half Andy Williams from Bath on a two year contract. Andy has played for Wales A, making his debut in 2001 Quote from Director, Mike Cuddy "Andy is a local boy, with a great attitude and a huge natural talent. We have been trying to finalise the deal for a couple of months, and it is great news for the region that it has finally gone through. Andy still has a lot to prove but he is hungry and prepared to work hard. I have no doubt he will be pushing for senior international honours in the not too distant future"

Quote from Director, Mike Cuddy "Andy is a local boy, with a great attitude and a huge natural talent. We have been trying to finalise the deal for a couple of months, and it is great news for the region that it has finally gone through. Andy still has a lot to prove but he is hungry and prepared to work hard. I have no doubt he will be pushing for senior international honours in the not too distant future"

CHANGE TO REGIONAL LAUNCH DATE - NEATH-SWANSEA
The launch of the new Neath-Swansea regional rugby side will now take place on Thursday July 24th 2003. Further details will be released on that date......

International back row player Gavin Thomas signs for the Neath-Swansea province
The Neath-Swansea province have signed 25 year old, 6ft 1in, 16st, openside flanker Gavin Thomas from Bath on a three year contract. Gavin has played 14 times for Wales since making his debut in 2001

Quote from Head Coach, Lyn Jones "Gavin is excited and positive about the challenge that is ahead of him individually and the region as a whole. I am sure his tremendous natural enthusiasm will have a positive effect on the coaching staff and other players. He brings with him a level of speed, experience and skill level that would make him a valuable addition to any side, and we are delighted to have him on board"

Neath-Swansea Regional Name
This week's Guardian carries a coupon, allowing supporters to put forward their suggestions for a name for the Neath-Swansea alliance. Should it be the Ospreys, the Black Jacks or something unique? Let us know and we'll pass on our findings to the powers that be. Hopefully they'll choose a name the FANS want. You can also e-mail your suggestions to guardian@wme.co.uk.

Elvis is alive and well, and will be playing in the Neath-Swansea region next season
The Neath-Swansea province have signed 25 year old, 6ft 1in, 14st 9lb, centre/ wing Elvis Seveali'i from Bath on a two year contract. Elvis has played 12 times for Manu Samoa since making his debut in 2000 against Japan, and scored nine tries in those matches. He joined Bath in 2002 from New Zealand NPC side Wellington, where he played alongside players such as Jonah Lomu and Tana Umaga

Quote from Head Coach, Lyn Jones "Elvis is a very exciting player, who, along with Jonny Vaughton, Shane Williams and Gareth Morris will give us flexibility and pace to enable us to compete in the biggest of competitions. He was Bath supporters player of the year and will be a player our supporters will warm to, as he is a prolific try scorer who can create something out of nothing"

NEATH-SWANSEA REGIONAL RUGBY TEAM APPOINT GENERAL MANAGER
The Neath-Swansea regional rugby team, which has yet to be formally named, today unveiled former rugby journalist and broadcaster Owen Jenkins as its new General Manager Today's announcement appointing 43 year old Jenkins - who will take up the post from next month, leaving behind Middleton, the National Botanic Garden of Wales where he is currently Head of PR & Communications - is understood to be the first in a number of such announcements expected from the regional side over the coming weeks covering the side's name, logo, players, coaching staff and membership details

Jenkins, from Crynant in the Dulais Valley brings over 20 years of communications and marketing experience with him. Jenkins began his career with BBC Wales before moving to The Times newspaper as a rugby reporter, and then on to Welsh Water as communications manager prior to forming his own specialist marketing and communications consultancy in 1995. In 1999 Owen returned to BBC Wales as a producer and presenter of both news and rugby programming before moving on to Middleton

Speaking today, Owen commented: "This is a dream job for me, one which combines my passion for rugby with my professional experience in business, marketing, communications and the media. As a local lad with pride in the area, this will be more than a job for me and I look forward to working with people in the community. I have been impressed and inspired with the way that representatives from the Neath and Swansea clubs have been working together to ensure the future success of rugby in this region. We are all at the beginning of a very exciting journey and there's a lot to be done, but I'm certainly looking forward to getting stuck in"

Roger Blyth, Director of the Neath-Swansea regional team said today: "We're lucky to have someone of Owens experience and professionalism on board. He has been tasked with taking regional rugby forward and building up a support base in partnership with the fans of traditional rugby in the area. There will be a number of further announcements in the forthcoming weeks, not least of which will be the unveiling of the team's name and Owen will be leading from the front as this new tier of rugby takes shape in the region. We have the right man for the job, in Owen, who we know is more than capable of meeting the challenges that lie ahead"

REGIONAL FIXTURE NEWS The first match of the new region will be played against, Narberth RFC, away on Friday 15th August, with kick off at 7.00pm
The Neath-Swansea region will play its first "home" game on Friday, August 22nd when Worcester, visit the Gnoll, with kick off at 7.00 pm

Previous news can be viewed on our Archived Regional News Page.